Eclipse Phase: Singularity

Session 5

Clean Up on the Twinkie Aisle

3

AUG/15

Having worked through the list and discovered that each item was a reference to an increasingly specific location, the team was left holding a decorative sewing box. While Chocko, Dredd, and Taragon “Hamish” Esperanto searched the Tudor-style house for supplies, SparkleFlash expressed his rage by taking a plasma torch to the bedding. Try as he might, the mattress simply would not sustain a flame.

Consulting a copy of the map that SparkleFlash had downloaded from their search of the central administrative spire, the team decided to make straight for the nearest exit, with the idea that they would search for a vehicle there for the anticipated 400km drive to the nearest edge of the Titan Quarantine Zone. If no vehicle could be found there, they would simply make their way around the outside, rather than risk a repeat of any of the earlier encounters.

It also occurred to the team that they should gathers some supplies, while SparkleFlash had no issues, the rest of the team was going to need food and water. So they made was expected to be a brief stop at a Greenwal’s corner drugstore that was along their path towards the exit.

Knowing that Twinkies have a long shelf-life, the team made a beeline for the snack-aisle at the rear of the store, including for some reason SparkleFlash. Not too long into their pantry raid, the party was beset by a couple of Shifters, similar to the “young girl” they had encountered in the abandoned house. Each of the Shifters appeared to be nearly identical to the previous “young girl” and just like before, the Shifters used their liquid metal ability to shape their hands into wicked knifes.

Finally, one of their attackers fell and Chocko once again turned toward the door. Taragon “Hamish” Esperanto was still fending off his two attackers at the rear of the store, when two more Shifter appeared in the doorway blocking Chocko escape. With Taragon “Hamish” Esperanto surrounded at the rear of the store and Chocko surrounded at the front of the store, the Shifters unexpected changed tactics. Previously, they had been content to simply shape their hands into weapons and made melee attacks, but now with their quarry surrounded, the Shifters now rushed the remaining team members. Separately, both Chocko and Taragon “Hamish” Esperanto found themselves on the receiving end of an exsurgent dog-pile. Having pinned their adversaries, the Shifters then proceeded to inexorably engulf their prey.